Electric iron



Patented Feb. 4, 1936 l UNITED STATI-:s

PATENT OFFICE Application October 22,

2 Claims.

While this invention relates primarily to what is known as an electric iron of that class which yis employed for pressing clothes and the like, the invention relates more particularly to means for heating the iron without having an electrical heating element embodied in the construction of the iron, and the invention resides in a device comprising an electrical heating device which may be used with o'ne or more pressing and smoothing irons of dilerent shapes and sizes.

In the use of the usual type of electric iron as employed both in factory and domestic use, the iron is provided with an electrical heating element which is built into the iron and which is supplied with electrical current by a drop cord or wires which are attached both to the iron and to a source of current.

With this type of electric iron, it has been found that not o'nly does the drop cord become tangled, 50 quickly worn through which causes shortcircuiting and in many cases starting res, but that the drop cord gets in the way of the operator and hampers the free use of the iron.

Also with the heating element built into the iron, only one iron may be used at a time, while with my device, several irons may be used, one

being heating while the other is in use.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for heating pressing and smoothing irons whereby the iron is not attached by any drop cord and is free and can be moved independently from the heating device.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device whereby the heating apparatus may be placed alongside of the ironing board, thus leaving the board free for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatic heating device, whereby the current is only on and the heating unit energized during the time that the iron is placed thereon, and the electric current is cut off by the removal of the iro'n.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic meanswhereby just as soon as the iron has reached a predetermined temperature, the current will be cut off and a telltale will indicate that the iron is ready for use.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heating device for irons and the like, that is simple, durable, efficient and contains few parts, and which may be manufactured at a low cost.

Another object of the invention is to construct a device of this kind in the form of a complete unit whereby a number of such units may be de- 1934, Serial No. 749,379

tachably secured together, side by side, in such a manner that several irons may be heated at the same time, and the electrical current will be carried from unit to unit.

In the drawing:

Figure l is -a top plan view of the heater or stand without the sad-iron.

Figure 2 is a bottom view of the same, showing the construction and arrangement of the several parts.

Figure 3 shows a longitudinal sectional view of the stand with a sad-iron placed thereon.

Figure 4 shows a number of the stands attached together to' accommodate several sadirons at the same time.

Referring to the drawing:

The heater stand comprises a casting or stamping of suitable material formed with an inclined top II), sides II and I2, and the ends I3 and Il.

The top III is formed with an opening within which is mounted the electrical heating element, which is here shown as being of the usual type formed of a molded block of insulating material having about the same outline as that of a sadiron, and being provided with the grooves or openings I6 within which are mounted the coils of resistance Wire I1 which have their ends secured to the terminal posts I8 which extend through the insulating block I9.

Above this heater element I5 are placed the two or more rods or wires 20 upon which the sad-iron rests to keep it from actual contact with the resistance wires.

Adjacent to the bottom o'r lower edge of the top I0 is placed a rest or stop 2I upon which the rear edge of the sad-iron rests when in place.

The top III is also provided with a slot 22 near this stop 2l and within this slot is mounted a depressible switch button 23 of insulating material upon which the heel of the sad-iron rests, depressing the same to close the electrical circuit to the heating element, the circuit being broken upon the removal of the sad-iron from the stand.

Referring to Figure 3 of the drawing, it will be seen that on the under side of the heating element I5 is placed a protective pad of asbestos or other suitable material 24 and over this is placed a cover 25 of insulating material.

As shown in Figure 2 of the drawing, there is mounted upon and in contact with the lower face of the heating element I5 a thermostat 26 which is provided with an arm 21 which has a slight movement in and out as actuated by the thermostat, and the end of this arm 2'I is notched and embraces an arm 28 adjacent to its pivot point 55 29; this arm 28 having formed on its outer end a ag 30 which is moved in or out of registry with an opening 3| in the top I0 by the action of the thermostatic operated arm 21 to display through said opening 3| the flag,` which may be colored red, when the iron has reached a predetermined degree of temperature,to indicate that the sad-iron is hot and should be removed.

The side walls and l2 of the base or stand are provided with male and female elements of an electrical plug 32 and 33; the male plug 32 being adapted to receive the usual plug attached to the drop cord from the current supply, and this male plug 32 is connected to the terminals of the female plug 33 by the wires 34 and 35, and to the switch arm 36 mounted in the top l0, by the wire 31, and to the thermostat by the wire 38; the electrical circuit being completed by the wire 39 to the other terminal of the thermostat.

When it is desired to place a number of these heaters together as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, it will be seen that the prongs of the male plug 32 will interlock with the prong holes in the female plug 33 of the adjoining heater to both connect the heaters together in a row and also to supply the necessary electrical connection.

In operation, the heater being connected to the electrical current supply and the current turned on, the sad-iron is placed upon the rods 20 with its heel resting against the stop 2| and upon the switch button 23 depreing the button 23 and 'forcing the switch arm 40 attached to the binding post I8 into contact with the switch arm 4| which is secured to the top Il) to close the electrical circuit to the resistance coil I1, and when the sadiron has reached the desired degree of temperature, the thermostat will act to move the telltale arm 28 to bring the flag 30 into sight through the opening 3| in the top I0. The removal of the sad-irony allows the button to be raised by the resilient switch arm 40 and opens the electrical circuit to the heating element.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A sad-iron heating unit comprising a stand j for the iron, an electrical heating element mounted in said stand for heating the iron thereon, a current supply means for said heating element and a control therefor operated by the iron, a thermostat mounted in said stand adjacent to the heating element, a tell-tale mounted in said stand, means operated by the thermostat for moving said tell-tale to indicate when the temperature of the heating element has reached a predetermined degree of heat. y

2. In a heating stand for irons or the like, a unit base provided with means whereby several of said units can be secured together, an electrical heating element mounted in said stand with its upper face exposed to the iron, a guard thereon adapted to support the iron, a locating stop for the iron, means for feeding electrical current to said heating element, means for controlling said current feed and operated by the iron contacting therewith, a tell-tale mounted in said switch, a thermostat mounted adjacent to the heating element and connected in the current feed, and means operated by said thermostat for moving said tell-tale and cutting ofi the current supply to the heating element when the heating element has reached a predetermined degree o! heat.

LUDWIG SCIHLLING. 

